City comparison
Lakeland, FL vs Salinas, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salinas, CA are 12.3% higher than in Lakeland, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Lakeland, FL would need about $112,300 in Salinas, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,232 a month in Salinas, CA versus $1,230 in Lakeland, FL. On $100,000, that's 36% of take-home pay in Salinas, CA and 19% in Lakeland, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Salinas, CA than in Lakeland, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Lakeland, FL to Salinas, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +12.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.4% in real buying power.
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
- Salinas, CA: price level 109.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lakeland, FL | Salinas, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.1 | 109.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,251 in Salinas | $89,086 in Lakeland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,230/mo | $2,232/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 36% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,140 | $47,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA and Salinas, CA MSA. Metro areas: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL and Salinas, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lakeland | Salinas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.9 | 145.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 154.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.1 | 109.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lakeland, FL → Salinas, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.9%; rent takes 36% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
21 Weak offer
Salinas, CA → Lakeland, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lakeland, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Salinas, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lakeland, FL to Salinas, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lakeland, FL | Salinas, CA | Real change, Lakeland → Salinas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +11.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +11.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +11.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +11.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +11.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lakeland, FL | Salinas, CA | Salinas pay in Lakeland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,420 | $100,220 | $89,282 (+77.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,200 | $135,160 | $120,408 (−1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,820 | $83,810 | $74,663 (−2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,030 | $134,910 | $120,186 (+43.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.